The Broken Rifle #106: Resisters' Stories Editorial

The call out for this edition of The Broken Rifle read:

"Activist magazines can be 'heavy', analysing war and other systemic violences. We want to make the next edition of The Broken Rifle more personal. We want to hear about the incredible people within our movements taking action for social change, and what has led them to become part of our struggle against militarism. Their stories are likely to be inspirational, sometimes emotional, and definitely thought-provoking. They will all be different. Our hope is that hearing these stories will help us to better understand what brings people into our movements. This in is itself a political act, asserting that we are not all interchangeable consumers, but unique individuals, with our own particular motivations and experiences."

We hope you are inspired and challenged by the seven activists featured in this edition of The Broken Rifle.

Andrew, Hannah and Semih Contents Page 2: Odette Ntambara: Finding healing and prosperity

Page 4: An interview with Greg Payton

Page 7: Conscientious objection statement from Hilal Demir

Page 9: Hanna Sofie Utsi: resistance, mining, and Sami culture

Page 11: We need them: campaign against femicide in Cali

Page 14: Kayla Mueller: Reaching across the great divide of differences

Page 16: Dr. Jalal Nofal: Connecting relief work and civil activism in

The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories 1 Odette Ntambara

Finding healing and prosperity

In 1989 I was born, in the Southern years, and without their guidance and province of “the land of a thousand hills”, support I am not sure I would be the Rwanda. In 1994 I was forced to abandon person I am today. They provided me my birth land due to the then ongoing with the Odette meeting her mother for conflict in the country, the world now the first time after twenty yearsOdette knows as the “Genocide”. Rwanda meeting her mother for the first time consists of two main ethnic groups Hutus after twenty yearsopportunity to learn, and Tutsis with the majority of the to communicate articulately, and above population being Hutus. In April, chaos all they encouraged a relationship with erupted as Hutus and Tutsis clashed in my spirituality. It’s only recently that I the streets and in homes across the got to truly understand all that happened country lasting 100 days, with countless with my family during that dark time, as bodies in the streets where most killings father never talked about it. I’ve been a were done by knives and machetes. , stateless, a foreigner and at Although only five years old, I still times left confused but it’s because of all remember. I remember death, children that I have been through I have come to crying, houses burning, people running understand the world I want to see. It’s and screaming, I remember my father’s also the reason I feel stimulated to do pain and decision to continue moving more so the next generations don’t have when he was told that our mother had to endure the same pain. Being reunited perished in one of the houses. I and getting to know my mother after remember being on his back and my twenty years of believing she had died in sister walking beside him on the road to the genocide has further encouraged me anywhere. We slowly made our way to in continuing my path of peace activism. Kenya, Tanzania, and Swaziland staying a few months at a time and eventually For seven years I worked as media settling in South Africa. monitor for a non-governmental organisation known as The Ceasefire South Africa became my home for over Campaign, a peace movement campaign fifteen years. It’s here I met the Religious aiming for a demilitarised society, a non- Society of Friends, commonly known as violent society and a society of peace. In Quakers. Quakers inspired my teenage this time, I represented the youth in

2 The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories international conferences such as the world gathering of War World conference (FWCC) where I got to spend time with a Resisters' International, an NGO advocating for diverse group of Quakers from all over the world. The demilitarisation. In addition, I was responsible for organising conference themed “Salt and Light” gave me so much comfort numerous campaigns such as campaign to ban Cluster Bombs, and reignited my hope that as diverse as we are, we are not so workshops on domestic violence, workshop for the 16 days of different. We tend to walk around with feelings of loneliness activism, talk on the South African Arms Deal saga with and emotions of hurt, but it’s during this conference I saw Andrew Feinstein, workshop on the global week of action and unity I have felt a sense of togetherness among Friends not just promotion for a gun free zone at a taxi rank in Johannesburg, talking about Salt and Light but to practice living Salt and Light through an organisation called Gun Free South Africa. in this broken world. Unfortunately The Ceasefire Campaign has since closed due to low funding with members having to continue with peace We live in the world crippled by prejudice, xenophobia, education in other capacities. poverty, environmental and health issues, race, inequality and violence. I work towards building a culture of peace; this is I have been a member of Johannesburg Quakers for over however characterised by people who are committed and able twelve years as a regular attendee at meetings, uplifting my to deal with the inevitable conflicts which arise when using faith further. I am enthusiastic in the daily work of the dialogue and committed to building and rebuilding respectful Johannesburg meeting and in the past years, I was the office relationships between themselves and others. This is a manager at the Central and Southern Africa Yearly Meeting continuous process as it is not easy to transform a negative (C&SAYM) and gained a great sense of responsibility and situation to one that is positive without some sort of caring for self in my role as Co-Clerk of Young friends. As a disagreement...peacemaking and peace building is the Young Friends Co-Clerk for the C&SAYM my work focused on responsibility of everyone. We have to make sure we maintain work plan implementation, community project development peace in society, promoting culture of peace through a and, maintaining communication amongst the youth, report ministry of Peace. writing, workshop facilitation and chairing of meetings. Currently I am actively involved in the Young Adults programs I believe that as the future generation it is my responsibility as within Quakers with a focus on equality in its most expansive a young person to change this life for the better through sense as a way to explore the need for justice, the power of activism, lobbying and volunteering in an environment that Truth and Love, our own growing edges as individuals and as a shares my vision. community, and what it means to create the adored nation here and now. We intend to encourage a daring learning space within which to unpack privilege and power, and to develop greater capacity to challenge and break down the many interconnecting systems of oppression.

In July 2011 I completed my training as an Alternative to Violence Projects (AVP) facilitator – by Phaphama Initiatives, an AVP organisation based in South Africa. I have since been facilitating in basic and advanced workshops for the Johannesburg Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) from 2012 to date. The Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) is an international volunteer-run conflict transformation programme. Teams of trained AVP facilitators conduct experiential workshops to develop participants' abilities to resolve conflicts without resorting to manipulation, coercion, or violence. Workshops are now offered in communities, businesses, churches, neighbourhood centres, community associations and women's shelters all over the world.

Campaigning to ban cluster bombs, 2010Campaigning to ban cluster bombs, 2010I am working to create a world where everyone’s Human rights are respected, a world where violence is not the everyday news, a world where peace is the consensus. A world where we not separated by our diversity but united in our diverse nature. “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite” by Nelson Mandela. I will be the first to agree with his words for the simple reason of humanity, how is it that it’s so much easier to hate than it is to love, when this two emotions are interlinked? Surely if you can hate it must mean you had loved before.

In 2012 I had the opportunity to travel to Kenya for the Friend

The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories 3 An interview with Greg Payton

This interview was originally published in Conscientious Were there any support networks for you when you came back? Objection: A Practical Companion for Movements. The editor I didn't know anything. I didn't try to link up with any interviewed Greg Payton, an African American veteran of the organisations; I kept moving on and tried to develop my life. Vietnam war, turned international peace activist with Vietnam But I went to the Veterans Administration, to a drug Veterans against War, Veterans for Peace, War Resisters’ League, programme. There was some veterans in that programme who and Black Veterans for Social Justice. He talked to us about how were members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War. race and racism have played out in his experience of this activism. Was that when you became involved with conscientious objection activism and antimilitarism more generally? That was a good experience. I hadn't realised it, but Vietnam Can you tell us what got you involved in your activism? was the catalyst of my drug addiction. I began to get a real I'm a Vietnam veteran. I got drafted, conscripted to Vietnam. education about what was happening politically, how we were And I really wasn't not into politics, I only went because I didn't using soldiers and not looking after them when they got back want to get locked up, I didn't want to go to jail. That was the home. I became very involved in the veterans unit. Then number one reason I went to Vietnam. <--break- />The through Matt Meyer, I got involved in War Resisters' League military wasn't difficult for me, I was pretty physically active so (WRL) and started going to different things: there was a link it was OK. But when I went to Vietnam, I began to understand between veterans and the Vietnam war campaign. what the war was really about. I realised we were being used for the benefit of others. When I spoke about white soldiers You mentioned that the movement against the Vietnam war was and black soldiers and the problems of racism in the military, I became a target. I got attacked several times by American mainly white, middle class students – how were the race dynamics soldiers. It lead to a lot of conflict. I had to leave the army, I left when you got involved with Vietnam Veterans against the War and without permission and went to stay with a Vietnamese family. WRL? It gave me tremendous insight on the war. I got shot at a couple of times by American soldiers. A lot of meetings I was the only black person. It was a long time before other black people got involved. There was a At the time I didn't realise there was an organised effort of brother named Clarence Fitch who was the one who mentored Vietnam war veterans. The movement was a lot of young, me into the programme, but he was one of only a few. He got white students primarily. They started organising for people AIDS, so again a lot of the time I'm the only black person at a not going to war: they never came to my community. We meeting. It was years before there was more black involvement didn't know about conscientious objection, we didn't know – some peripheral people maybe, but by and large the that you could maybe go to Canada – we didn't have any idea. I movement was white. got released from the military and I came back home. What happened was that when I was in Vietnam I started using Why do you think that was? drugs. I used drugs for about 15 years. In the beginning it was How many black people are there in your social circle? Not manageable, at the end I ended up being homeless. Doing a lot many? That's the problem – people stayed in their own social of different things. circle – you only organise with the people that you know. It wasn't a conscious thing where they didn't want to include

4 The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories other people, but they didn't know how to get other people were many black South African groups that wanted to support involved. the End Conscription Campaign, but they were also concerned about how that would work. If they don't do their military When you started getting involved, did that raise the white majority's service, but they still have white privilege, are they then going to go back to their suburbs, become white citizens suppressing awareness? black people again – are they going support us if we support There was a lot of denial about white privilege really and how them? that works. People aren't really confronted with it – having not been involved in situations where race is an issue. They don't As an organisation, you have to go and relate more to other understand what it's like to be in that situation where everyone folks, rather than you being central – in many instances, the is systematically all white and you're another colour. You're organisation feels their issues are paramount: 'everyone needs immediately identifiable. I didn't know where they might be to get on board with our issues'. Your issue is not paramount to from from, but they knew I was black straight away. They other groups. When we were in South Africa for the WRI (War could deal with me in a different way. Resisters' International) conference last year – one of the greatest things I've seen happen – you reached out to all these What would you say has improved or needs to be improved in the way other groups and people began to find out that, for example, homophobia and feminism – all these different things happen white people deal with their privilege? How can groups be made more in a lot of places. A lot of times, people feel very isolated, but in inclusive? reality the same pressures are also going on it other places. Early on there were a couple of people in WRL who knew that Prior to that there was very little – there wasn't a lot of direct their meetings didn't include a lot of people other than those relating. that looked like them. They were preaching to the choir. You Things have come a good way, since I started back in '80s and have to reach out to other groups – the number one way is you '90s. Things have got a lot better. But activists still don't find out what their issues are and you work with them on their always understand or want to understand other situations. issues and then hopefully they work with you on yours. What I like about WRI and WRL is that you're reaching out to Militarism is all encompassing – black, white, etc – because of me, the idea that we have this connection, and I could email the way militarism works and what it does to a community – you and get instantaneous support internationally. A lot of you find that white folks that are involved in the peace groups don't have that same mechanism, especially grassroots movement are adamant that whatever their niche is – groups. So for example in the movement for divestment from environmental, CO, nuclear – whatever it is, they are Israel, a lot of people didn't understand what that was about, passionate about it, but they don't know what the others but now there's a whole community of people doing it around struggles are. When you're fighting for survival, like in the the world. That's wonderful! Black Lives Matter campaign – we're dealing with a situation of militarism, where the police are killing people: I'm in a So what I'm hearing is that you feel there's been a lot of improvement community where a black man was shot in the back eight and more reaching out and solidarity. times while running away from police. But what happens is 'A lot': how do you qualify that? Things have improved. Still, I that the struggles we're having with militarism, other folks, think we're facing the same issues. It's coalition building that's white people in particular, come from communities that don't important, with other groups you can identify with and move understand that. So for example, WRL was talking about war. with. Militarism affects everybody in all types of ways, There was an issue about the police and police brutality and especially economically. We need to reach out to younger they didn't know whether or not to talk about it, because their people so that they can get a clear understanding of what's issue is war. That was the beginning of our weekend meeting. going on. Like with tobacco– there was a movement against That weekend there was a riot in LA about police brutality – tobacco 30 years ago. At that time smoking was a big thing. they rolled out the army, tanks, all that militarism in front of Over 30 years, tobacco activists have changed the culture of local citizens. And right there, there was a link between smoking. You can't smoke in meetings. Bottom line is that militarism and race. It could have been a war zone in the people understand smoking is not a good thing. Little kids at or Latin America. school could tell you you shouldn't smoke. So you would say the problem is a lack of awareness among white How do you think the antimilitarist movement could emulate that? activists, and an unwillingness to make themselves aware? What we did as veterans was link up with people – teachers, Some of that has been true. It's people from other cultures for example. We went to schools and talked to the students. getting involved in new cultures. I was very uncomfortable in We never told young people what decision to make, but we all white communities at first, I had to learn new terminology. said if you do go to the military, here's some of the things that What happened was that there was just a need to understand you should know, like: your life is no longer your own. We have this stuff and I was interested so stayed the course. Some to begin an outreach to young people. You plant the seeds in people don't have the time to do that, they're fighting for their younger people and when they start making social decisions, it lives. shows. We need to interpret that in terms of language. So for example, I remember WRI arguing about whether they should What do you think would help more people stay the course? What put their things into Spanish. They were arguing about what might make movements more inclusive? kind of Spanish and how not everyone speaks the same kind – but you've gotta try! People will figure it out. We're so busy You have to prove to people that what you're doing relates to trying to get it just right that we miss the mark altogether what they need done. So for example in South Africa, there sometimes.

The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories 5 So we need to communicate with people more widely, in a culturally were patient with me. I also remember being in California at a conference early in my involvement with WRL their was an sensitive way, but without paralysing ourselves being worried that article in Playboy Magazine about Vietnam Veterans and I was we get it wrong? mentioned so I showed it to someone, but they pointed out We all have a long way to go in order to make things better for how sexist that magazine is. It was my first lesson in the peace our children and for ourselves. I've lived in the southern part of movement about sexism. the US – the cradle of slavery. There's still a lot of sentiment around that fosters these stereotypical ideas about black How do you feel about black groups organising on their own? people. We're working hard to change minds, and I think we When you have a war, the draft gets people from all economic have. Many white never thought a cop would do backgrounds. Someone I met had never met a black person – that – kill and unarmed black man, I mean. The media has everything he knew was from the media. We couldn't even portrayed black people in a very negative light. Many whites communicate because we had different slang. But black think 'they get what they deserve', and a lot of people don't soldiers could talk to one another so we came together. We even consider us people. And the same kind of militarism that's had a lot of similar experiences. There was a lot of segregation. happening here, where we're getting killed by the police, is Certainly groups need to identify with their culture. I don't happening all around the world. It's horrible the way Muslims believe everything has to be homogeneous, not everyone has are treated in the US too. The US wants to blame everyone to be together all the time in everything. You can be in a black else for the violence, never wants to take responsibility for group and you have issues and you're trying to align yourself anything. I have to bite my tongue! I know some of the issues with other groups and everyone is trying to contribute and people don't want to hear it, they don't want to be out of collectively to a situation. their comfort zone. Being welcoming to other groups is hard, people don't On that point: earlier I asked about how white people can make 'our' understand your history, they might be coming up with things you've already done. Hearing them out is still important activism and 'our' movements more inclusive. Something that's though, it's important not to dismiss anybody. If you start interesting is to flip that dynamic... being dismissive, then people shut down. I've been organising Yeah, so for example, one of the major things that will happen with Black Veterans for Social Justice – they've been inclusive, is that white activists will plan a march, say, and then they call but the primary focus is on black veterans: housing, the black groups and see if they want to join the educational opportunities, homeless shelters. They started demonstration. But they never brought them in at the organising as black veterans, and they're still inclusive. You planning stages. Don't do all the planning and then tell the don't have to lose your group autonomy to work with others. black groups where to go and what to do. If you want more They work with Vietnam Veterans Against the War – many of black involvement, you have to bring them in initially, right at us have come together for certain things. We've given each that planning stage. I might have had something to say about other awards! There are lots of opportunities for collaboration. the objectives and tactics and all that. But you just want me to show up so you can think you're being inclusive! You're being What about gender awareness and inclusivity? dominant – you want black people as window dressing, not at A lot of my education about gender has been from being the level of organising. And why don't you come and support involved in these groups. As I mentioned, there were some black activists on issues that concern us? Take some time out things I learned about sexism and the exploitation of women in of what you're doing and get to understand other people's the peace movement. And then when you talk about black issues. Don't just read about them – meet them, ask how you women, there's so many nuances. You'd have to speak to a can help. It might sound simple, but make fliers and that kind black woman. But she couldn't speak for every black woman. I of thing – something your group might be better equipped to can't speak for every African American, you have to get some do, if you have more resources. Little groups don't have the kind of sampling group. But yes, black women are marginalised infrastructure to do that so it could really help them. You need in a lot of these situations. I remember when I started getting to listen to what their problems are. involved in activism, women were picking up on male dominance. They would point out if there were more male Obviously changing that dominant white behaviour is what needs to speakers than women speakers, or only one woman speaker. happen. But what would your advice be to black activists who are I'd never thought about it like that. You start to listen to more voices. When there's only one black woman, you miss the coming face to face with that very frustrating behaviour? opportunity to get a more inclusive balance. It's not just one You have to understand different cultures. Most Americans token person you need, you need several people. look at white people and make an assumption – they assume they're the same. Understanding different groups, different European groups, for example, takes a while. People from different parts of the world have a different outlook on stuff. You have to understand where other people are coming from. I feel very blessed I was able to weather the storm. I had people I could talk to about these things – Howard Clark and I became very close – you have to be honest. We loved each other enough that we could learn from each other. We could ask each other's opinion. I could say I don't know much about x without worrying about being judged. For example, I didn't know much about gay culture, but I had some friends who

6 The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories Conscientious objection declaration from Hilal Demir

I don't want to live in a world that is "mother", "wife", "daughter", "girlfriend" sexist, hierarchic, authoritarian, militarist just because I am a woman… and patriarchal. I do not want to live fenced in by I do not want them to give me their borders… system-based school education… I do not want to kill and be killed… I do not want people to die in wars because they are deceived. And.. I am rejecting all of these by listening to my conscience… I do not want to have to prove that I am a fully intelligent being and individual, just Because I WANT to live free and happy, in because I am a woman. a world where there is no war, or any kind of violence, anti-authoritarian, I do not want to brush aside the state's without borders. war policies and their lies.

I do not want militaries that train dummies to die in wars… And you?

I do not want people to decide for me about anything without asking me…

I do not want to see militarist concepts and behaviours within our movements…

I do not want to live under patriarchic rules and behaviors that invade my private life.

I do not want antbody to judge people's sexual identities.

I do not want to be ruled by labels such as

The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories 7 Call out for Broken Rifle 107: Prisoners for peace, prisons for war

Every year - on 1st December - War Resisters' International It is also an opportunity to explore the idea of prisons as and its members mark Prisoners for Peace Day, when we institutions that mirror the dehumanising violence of publicise the names and stories of those imprisoned for actions militarism, how profiteers make money from violent for peace. Many are conscientious objectors, in jail for refusing suppression (and the forced labour of people in prison), and to join the military. Others have taken nonviolent actions to reflect on how prisons are founded on an idea of security based disrupt preparation for war. Supporters send cards and letters on surveillance, policing and weaponry: prisons of war. in solidarity. If you would like to volunteer to submit an article, or to Prisons are sites of violence and social control – for those suggest someone else that might want to write for it, please imprisoned for nonviolent political actions, and for all. The write to us at [email protected] with the subject 'Broken Rifle prison-industrial complex is intrinsically linked with militarism. 107 article'.

The next edition of The Broken Rifle, is a collection of reflections from some prisoners for peace who have been incarcerated for taking actions against militarism. WRI bookshop

War Resisters' International offers a range of merchandise via its webshop. These and many other books can be ordered online — and some are even available for reading online or downloading as PDF. Check out the WRI webshop at http://wri-irg.org/webshop

of injustice, all over the world. Learning from the lived experience of Sowing Seeds: the militarisation these activists, the aim is to help movements work together, surmount the external challenges they face, and enhance the concept of youth and how to counter it of conscientious objection, using it in new and innovative ways - such as against war profiteering, or the militarisation of youth. The book Through articles, images, survey data and also has a specific focus on gender, and the often invisible role of interviews, Sowing Seeds: The Militarisation of gender, both in the war machine, and in the movements which Youth and How to Counter It documents the oppose it. seeds of war that are planted in the minds of young people in many different countries. Orders: £7.00 + postage However, it also explores the seeds of resistance to this militarisation that are being sown resiliently and creatively by numerous people. We hope the book will help to disseminate these latter seeds. Handbook for Nonviolent It is not just a book for peace and antimilitarist activists: it is a book for parents and grandparents, teachers, youth workers, and young Campaigns: second edition people themselves. Social change doesn't just happen. It's the result of the work of committed people striving Author(s)/editor(s): Owen Everett for a world of justice and peace. This work gestates in groups or cells of activists, in Orders: £5.00 + postage discussions, in training sessions, in reflecting on previous experiences, in planning, in experimenting and in learning from others. Conscientious objection: a Preparing ourselves for our work for social practical companion to justice is key to its success. There is no definitive recipe for successful nonviolent actions and movements campaigns. This handbook, however, is a series of resources that can inspire and support your own work, especially if you adapt the This book is intended as a practical companion resources to your own needs and context. for conscientious objection movements and all those whose work forms part of the continuum £7.00 + postage of war resistance. It has been written by activists who are campaigning against all kinds

8 The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories Hanna Sofie Utsi: resistance, mining and Sami culture

Translated from the original Swedish into education is minimal. It’s hard for our English by Anna Björklund elderly to make themselves understood in their native language when they go to Huge machines gouge wounds in the get medical care. Hospitals have no earth, and tears run down my cheeks. cultural knowledge of psycho-social The police have cleared away the local illnesses, no understanding taught in population, Sami, and activists. school of our cultural practices such as reindeer herding, hunting, and fishing. My tears are of anger, sorrow, and It’s hard for us to just be Sami: from the despair, but not of hopelessness. Not in state’s perspective, assimilating us has the least. The fight for Gállok and the been a matter of successful policy. Sami is far from over. It has only just begun. My forefathers were able to live in peace on their traditional lands, until the The Sami are Europe’s only indigenous countries that would become the people. A people with their own present-day Nordic countries realized language, own culture, own history, and that they ought to tax the Sami for living own democratically elected body. A here. During this period, Sami paid taxes people who can be said to probably have to three separate countries. This was the it pretty good here in the Western world. beginning of a colonization which We can go to school, have the same continues to this day. The state didn’t healthcare as the rest of the population, care that the Sami paid taxes and owned the same judicial system, and the same land. citizens’ rights. But do we really have it that good? If the state found something they could grab, they did. Sami land rich in natural In school, we don’t learn about our own resources has time and time again been history and culture. We study Swedish sold to forestry companies, private civics over the course of many years, but individuals, and foreign companies. But knowledge of Sami and Sami civics views differ on what is meant by

The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories 9 ‘resources.’ If you ask me, 'resources' are fresh land and clean water that animals and humans can live off of in perpetuity. If you ask the state, 'resources' are something that can be mined, dammed, and exploited. This is happening today at a furious rate, without the Sami being able to say anything about it. Railways, predatory animals, wind turbines, and dammed waterways run the risk of leading to our culture’s destruction. We can’t preserve a culture by living in a museum. We must be allowed to live.

Today, the Sami Parliament has no power. When the Sami Parliament was created twenty years ago, it was intended to function as the law-giving body for matters concerning us.

But when it concerns the continuing colonization of our land, neither the Sami Parliament nor the local people have any voice. When the state allowed companies to exploit our land through generous financial incentives, we had no choice but to practice civil disobedience in order to force a discussion, and, critically, to stop these companies from draining our land of iron, copper, gas, and everything else Mother Earth has.

The good thing is that the Sami Parliament has unanimously spoken out against prospecting, new mining projects, and the re-opening of mines in Sami lands. All of this so that we can have a chance to survive, evolve, and be the people that we want to be, not just an exotic tool to fulfill the state’s PR objectives. The state has to listen to this. Can it not be that the state doesn’t want us to be here, disrupting their selling of our land?

A mine is never just a mine. The infrastructure that is currently being planned will cut through the land, and the railways are like living meat grinders. Whole herds of reindeer can be run over, and unfortunately too many lie there gravely injured before they finally die or get help from a reindeer herder who comes upon them.

I stand in my own land and watch as the police help foreign prospecting companies use force to destroy our land. Land converted to mines can never go back to what it once was, and the residual product remains forever, continuing to leech its poisons. The water and land that we all rely upon to live will no longer be left. I'm sorry to tell you all that this is happening all over the world. Indigenous people struggle to survive and to protect their lives and the nature. For example my sisters in North America are trying to protect their land and water against a pipeline. Police and military are using violence to stop peaceful demonstrations - right now in Standing Rock. Remember Wounded Knee.

The only thing we can do is keep fighting.

10 The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories We need them: campaign against femicide in Cali

"We need them Because they were willing The media daily reflects the to love, they dressed up, all they wanted consolidation of a patriarchal culture that was to be happy as in fairy tales and they naturalises, justifies and makes violence were unaware that many times they end against women invisible. This is at the like horror stories. Because they loved their detriment to loving relationships, the neighbour - a neighbour - more than enjoyment of sexuality and human themselves. They obeyed the mandate to dignity. Life is no longer sacred, and endure, to hope for love to change him, according to the anthropologist Rita they abided solemnly "until death do us Segato, a "pedagogy of cruelty" has been part". installed, which desensitises large sectors of society, including institutions, and The Valle del Cauca Department is normalises violence as if it were located in south west Colombia. 10% of inevitable. the nation's population is concentrated there, and it features a great cultural, One of the principal indicators of this ethnic and social diversity. It's also the pedagogy of cruelty is gender-based destination area for displaced people violence and its most extreme form: fleeing from armed conflict mainly in femicides, extended as murders of Cauca, Narino, Putumayo and Choco persons for being women in the hands of departments. their male partners, ex-partner of the victim or strangers "motivated by hate, Despite being one of the most cordial disrespect, pleasure or belief that women territories in the country, the Cauca are of their own property, that is to say, Valley headed the list of departments alluding to sexist motivations" (Lagarde, with most cases of women murdered in 1994). 20151. This situation has become particularly acute because up to In Latin America, the contribution of September of this year in the city of Cali anthropologist Marcela Lagarde is worth (El País, 2016), capital of Cauca Valley, highlighting. She is a Mexican feminist 73 women were reported murdered, 22% writing from a critical perspective, who of the cases being alleged femicides and introduces an analysis that intercepts the 63% of them in process of clarification. concept of feminicide with gender,

The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories 11 economic and racial unfairness within a local context – in this campaign "We need them", through which we have been case the City of Juarez, Mexico. "That new meaning includes expressing several forms of interaction and dialogue among it's consideration as a State crime, generated by the absence of the people, we conducted follow-ups of the feminicides that state programs to guarantee a life without violence for took place in the city of Cali and in the Department, we women" (Monarrez, 2009). distributed and led gender-related violence eradication campaigns in local areas so as to raise awareness of an issue In the Department of Cauca Valley, entities such as the Cali that hides inside homes, which is believed to be within the Municipality through their Social Observatory (SO), or the couple's private sphere, but which requires an integral Regional Valley National Institute of Legal Medicine and approach as a society to achieve structural changes. Forensic Sciences (NILMFS) do not possess either the institutional technical guidelines for the classification of Our endeavour summons the people of Cali to establish feminicide cases, nor the specialised staff (qualified experts) in dialogues, reflections and collective actions against indolence gender issues. and the exertion of masculine and patriarchal power that destroys dignity, bodies and lives of hundreds of women each A reflection of this, as the SO, is that up until last year some year in the department. Art in action, or 'artivism', is what feminicides were erroneously classified as crimes of passion, inspires us and brings us together: that dimension of culture reducing the cultural implications and power relationships that combines social urgencies, symbols, contents and poetic, which "render a special role to the use of masculine strength in creative and artistic language towards social movement. hierarchical gender relationships" (Jimeno 2002) and involve the perpetration of women's murders. That is the reason that our first symbolic event named "Embroidering the absences of women victims of feminicides in In addition to the previous scenario, other cases in which a Cali" held on 13 November 2015 in a public space crowded relationship or bond between women and their aggressors with people, had a strong artistic, symbolic and creative does not exist are still considered homicides, disregarding - component. among other cases - crimes against women that are misogynist murders, those that are committed for the sake of honour, The group called on 80 male citizens to carry out a custom those that occur in armed conflict, others that are related to that for ages has been embraced by women's hands, this time gender identity and sexual orientation, infanticide and they seized drum, needle, thread and canvas to embroider with foeticide, and those related to ethnicity and indigenous patience, concentration and respect the name of one of the identity. women victims of feminicides in the city of Cali. Each man embroidered with his own hands the history of a feminine life, Likewise, there is no information available about passive or the face of one of the 80 women murdered and absent from indirect feminicides, among which the death of women due to the city, reminiscing for the audience a life project murdered by clandestine and unsafe abortions are found, cases caused by male violence. See video at practices such as genital mutilation, dealing and trafficking of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OjXOI0q17I women, arms trafficking, drugs, gangs' activities, criminal mobs; death of girls due to negligence, nutritional deprivation The embroiderers were accompanied by a group of 25 women or abuse, acts of neglect from public or State official, among who handed out guidance leaflets with tips about how to others. (Latin American protocol of investigation in feminicides activate care routes in cases of feminicides and shared the 2014). relevance of the symbolic event for the city. Likewise, adolescents and young people set up a change mandala that Faced with this reality, the group Colectiva Reparando invited the attendees to transform violence into love Ausencias (Repairing Absences group) emerges as a civic relationships. engagement movement that seeks to address social imaginaries which justify, naturalise and make invisible all Following our symbolic event, the group has focused its violence based on gender in the private, public or institutional 'artivism' on emblematic places of the city of Cali painting sphere. We are convinced that removing these beliefs and murals, stencils and t-shirts. Together with other groups and atavistic practices through education, communication and urban artists, walls were painted in Libertadores (13 December social mobilisation, it is possible to start a path towards the 2015), Siloe (21 December 2015), Potrero Grande (7 August construction of respectful relationships between men and 2016) and Jovita Students Park (10 September 2016) with women, dignity and rights of women. messages alluding to the murders of women in the city and the vindication of women's rights to a life without violence. In the Reparing Absences group, we come together as women and men activists who claim women's right to a life free of Likewise, social based organizations together with women violence. At present it is made up of family members of the leaders, mothers, female heads of households and young victims of feminicides, people who participate in various social neighbours of populated districts where major incidence of projects, politicians, academics and institutions of the city. violence against women is evident, have organized workshops to discuss, reflect and take action regarding physical, The group began in July 2015, and since then we have emotional, psychological and social impacts that go along with conducted several symbolic events, hands-on workshops and violence experienced by impoverished women in Cali. community gatherings to get the city involved with murals, stencils, performances and nonviolent direct actions and Other cases of political incidence in which we have awareness-raising actions regarding the increase of violence participated, in articulation with Women's Social Movement in against women in densely populated parts of the city. Cali, feminist organizations and LGTBI community were the commemoration act of international women's day at the In order to ensure a shared understanding, we construed the Municipality of Cali building on the 8th of March 2016, to

12 The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories demand from the government the actual and effective implementation of a route of care to women victims of gender related violence, the protection of their lives and a restoration of their rights (Law 1257 from 2008 and Law 1761 from 2015 Rosa Elvira Cely), as well as the March for Raising Awareness of Sexual Diversity and the Pacific Region Gender (26 June 2016).

All these activities have allowed us to perceive several perspectives of how women cope with multiple violence in their daily life, their daily effort to overcome economic, cultural and social limitations, and more important, to be dear allies and partners in the political dispute to reassert their rights.

Without a doubt, as a group we have many challenges and changes to accomplish, for this reason we will continue mobilizing the people, denouncing injustices and promoting collective mournings to immortalize the names and histories of women victims of feminicides in Cauca Valley, singing as one "we need them".

Find us in Facebook as "Ellas nos hacen falta" (We need them) and in as @ellashacenfalta BIBLIOGRAPHY ARENDT, Hannah. (2005). About violence. Alianza Editorial. Madrid.

EL PAIS (2016) Concern about violence against women continues in Cali. 07 July 2016. Press note in http://www.elpais.com.co/elpais/judicial/noticias/continua- preocupacion-cali-por-casos-feminicidi

THE TIME. (2016) Partner of woman murdered in Cali investigated. 25 September 2016. Press note in http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/cali/investigan-a-pareja- sentimental-de-mujer-asesinada-en-cali/16710355

FEMENÍAS, María (2009) Power and violence against women's bodies. Revista Sociologías, Porto Alegre, año 11, nº 21.

JIMENO, Miriam (2002) "Passional crime: with the heart in darkness". Serié Antropología, Brasilia.

MATURANA, Humberto and others. (1997). Violence in distinct areas of expression. Dolmen Ediciones. Chile.

MONÁRREZ F, Julia. (2010), Plot of an injustice. Systemic sexual feminicide in City of Juarez. Region and society vol 22 n. 4.

TEJEDA, Doris (2014). Feminicides: A social and public health problem. Revista La manzana de la discordia Vol 9, No 2:31-4

LOPEZ, Mario (2003). Nonviolence, politics and ethics in The power of fragility: Experiences in the path to nonviolence. Editorial Kimpres Ltda. Pages 135-157.

El País, 2016a. In total, 671 women were murdered in 2015 and the areas with the highest number of cases were Cauca Valley (146), Bogotá (98), Antioquia (77) and Atlantico (30). See in http://www.elpais.com.co/elpais/judicial/noticias/continua- preocupacion-cali-por-casos-feminicidio

The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories 13 Kayla Mueller: Reaching across the great divide of differences

tourist nor was she a naïve ‘girl’ just out to see the world. Her CAROL THOMPSON motivation was to gain knowledge across multiple cultures from those who continued to resist while profoundly suffering. The bright smile. Contagious laughter. Her sunshine drew She worked, ate and slept with those who sustained their others to her, to debate and argue, to learn and ponder. resistance to violence and injustice. Energetic resolution, a passion for justice, for constant giving While working in , Kayla briefly crossed the border into define Kayla Mueller; not her capture by ISIS, her and Syria and was captured by ISIS, in August 2013. The first email tragic death at age 26. by the hostage takers only came to her parents the next May Kayla’s decision to work for Turkish aid agency Support to Life, and in July 2014, they received a death threat, to be carried receiving Syrian streaming across the border, came as out in 30 days if ransom were not paid. In August we learned part of her journeys to learn and share, from visiting rural of the beheading of , followed by communities in Guatemala, to assisting in an orphanage in (September), and then Peter Kassig (November); it appears , working at an African refugee center in Tel Aviv, and they were all held in the same hostage prison as Kayla in joining vigils against Israeli settlements in Hebron, Palestine. Raqqah, Syria. There is no official word verifying how Kayla She taught English to Tibetan refugees in Dharamsala, India, died in February 2015. ISIS said she was killed by Jordanian while learning from the practices of Tibetan Buddhism. As aerial bombs, and we may never know the truth of how she Kayla explains in letters to her parents (2010, 2013): died. These peacemakers all worked to stop the killing in Iraq and Syria, trying to amplify the voices of those outraged by the This reality is my life’s work, to go where there is suffering. I lack of international action, given the magnitude of the suppose, like us all, I’m learning how to deal with the suffering violence against civilians. of the world inside myself…to deal with my own pain and more importantly to still have the ability to be proactive. Kayla’s life teaches us that reaching across the great divide of difference is necessary to increase understanding, and this …any struggle for greater freedom and justice is my struggle and reach is most difficult when the disparities are vast. Kayla's any time innocent civilians are being slaughtered, they are my antimilitarism (‘I would never stake claim to such a barbaric people and anytime the world is not responding to such things thing as war, any war anywhere.’), led her to work with the because it’s not their concern, it becomes my concern. local peace center, to listen to veterans returning from the wars as they enrolled in her university. These programs Who she was not also defines Kayla: she was not the itinerant responded to veterans’ requests and needs for their next

14 The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories difficult journey of reintegration into communities and the United States, which she linked to the ability of Americans classrooms. to accept the violence rained down on ‘terrorists’, in the name of freedom. Peacemakers work not only to end wars, but to reduce economic oppression, the root cause of so many COM-passion conflicts. Kayla worked equally at home and abroad for those A peacemaker cannot sustain her work, and will burn-out suffering from economic inequalities, finding the struggles the quickly, without compassion. The two parts of the word are same. She protested in an orange jump suit at Fort Huachuca, a equally important: com – passion. ‘Com’, resting in its Latin military base engaged in training for ‘enhanced interrogation’, origin of ‘with’, signals connection, relationships. Although knowing full well that various forms of torture are also peacemakers can be very alone—as Kayla was for many of the practiced in local prisons. 18 months in the darkness and cold of an ISIS prison—relationships direct their actions. As a young activist, Kayla taught us all to ask questions, but most important to Kayla decided to work with many different organizations to ‘question the answers’. She learned French, and was studying understand their diverse approaches; she found her Arabic and the Koran. She read widely about the political experiences better than any university studies. Highly economy of West Asia, never fooled into thinking the wars resourceful, she paid for her international travels (Guatemala, were about Sunni versus Shia. As early as 2012, she advocated India, Palestine/Israel, France, Turkey) through her own for a ‘no fly zone’ to be enforced over Syria and condemned earnings, such as working at an HIV/AIDS center in her home the drone bombings, finding them as vicious as any ISIS tactics. town while volunteering at a women’s shelter. She organized during her short life to change U.S. policies of militarism and violence. Kayla chose to work with those who The spiritual journey for peace-making continued as Kayla suffered from its consequences: ‘We are all too busy with our joined a discussion seminar in Plum Village in southern France, everyday routines, our work and our families. But because of summer 2010. Compassion in the Buddhist traditions involves my privileged American life, I’ve been able to purposefully build ‘seeing yourself in everyone you meet’. Founder of Plum my life in such a way that this idealism [struggle for greater Village, Thich Nhat Hanh, explains, ‘Our method of practice freedom and justice] can be my life and my work.’ should be non-violent. Non-violence... is the insight that everything is interconnected.... Doing violence to others is Kayla’s words echo the famous ones of Daniel Berrigan during doing violence to yourself.’ (Anger, pp. 69-70) the Vietnam War (No Bars to Manhood, p. 49):

Kayla paraphrased Hanh’s metaphor of taking garbage from Of course, let us have peace, we cry, ‘but at the same time let us within yourself to make compost to nourish the flower within have normalcy.... There is no peace because there are no you. In 2011 Kayla wrote, ‘The gardener knows how to turn peacemakers. There are no makers of peace because the making garbage into compost. Therefore our anger, sadness, and fear of peace is at least as costly as the making of war-at least as are the best compost for our compassion.’ Kayla practiced exigent, at least as disruptive, at least as liable to bring disgrace compassion when she herself was under brutal physical and and prison and death in its wake. mental assault; two teenage Yazidi girls were being held with Kayla Mueller gave up normalcy, to help us see that the worst her (all raped regularly) and planned escape; Kayla declined to humanitarian crisis in a century across West Asia is not normal. go with them, saying that as an American she would attract Her life as a peacemaker calls us to action. My choice, your ISIS’ pursuit and revenge. The Yazidis successfully escaped. choice may not be the same as Kayla’s, but we all can choose a Thich Nhat Hanh’s remembrance of Kayla connects to the concern, a passion and dedicate much thought and countless hundreds of thousands of others: ‘...a beautiful flower and hours in that struggle for peace with justice. many other flowers have been stepped on and withered by Carol Thompson, Ph.D., activist scholar and retired professor bitterness and violence. Such a big pity for humans in the 21st (international political economy) at Northern Arizona century!’ University, where Kayla Mueller took her classes on Southern Africa. They worked together in the Flagstaff New Day Peace Com-PASSION Center. In Carol’s words, ‘Quickly, Kayla became my professor’, teaching her about resistance against injustices across West The ‘passion’ side of ‘compassion’ gives the goals of the Asia. Carol is also co-author of Biopiracy of Biodiversity – connections, of trying to learn how to ‘see yourself in everyone Global Exchange as Enclosure, Africa World Press. you meet’. For Kayla, those passionate goals directed her life’s journey, again, best summarized in her own words: ‘For as long as I live, I will not let this suffering be normal, something we just accept.’ Kayla was speaking out, because, as she said, 100,000 Syrians had died (2012). The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights now estimates 300,000 deaths; the UN estimates more than 4.8 million Syrians have fled abroad, and 6.5 million are displaced within the country. When about half the country’s pre-war population, more than 11 million people, have been killed or forced to flee their homes, tormented suffering has become all too ‘normal’.

Kayla gave up her privileged safety not just to name the problem, but to act on her ‘speaking truth to power’. She would not stay silent about the violence of the status quo in

The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories 15 Dr. Jalal Nofal: connecting relief work and civil activism in Syria

his socialist beliefs, not unlike other former OMAR ABBAS prisoners who brought their new ideas back with them to the Communist Action Dr. Jalal Nofal, born 1963 in Damascus to a Party. Nofal recalled about how “the party working class family from as-Sweida’, is a (together with other groups) took a prominent psychiatrist and activist who greater focus on democracy and has been involved in politics and relief countering the BaA th party’s efforts throughout his lifetime. propaganda.”Despite these efforts, the nineties ultimately witnessed little change, In 1978 Nofal joined the Communist as the regime rejected democratization Action Party (CAP), after rejecting the efforts. Syrian Communist Party’s pro-regime stances, particularly during the Muslim A banner condemning the detention of Dr. Brotherhood uprising (1976-82) and the Nofal when he was arrested in Damascus ensuing government crackdown. “With on January 6, 2014A banner condemning regards to the Hama massacre (1982), for the detention of Dr. Nofal when he was me as a leftist, the Communist Action arrested in Damascus on January 6, Party took the most balanced and 2014This political dormancy lasted until satisfactory stances,” explained the doctor. 2000, when Bashar al-Asad’s rise to power and promising rhetoric prompted many Nofal, a medical student at Damascus Syrians to renew their engagement in the University at the time, remained an active democratization of society. party member until his arrest in 1983, when the regime launched a nationwide Nofal enthusiastically received these crackdown against leftists. He was released developments and joined the Committees in 1991 after more than eight years in to Defend Democracy and Human Rights prison. Like many of his contemporaries, [CDF, a member of the Coalition for the Nofal decided to resume his studies, International Criminal Court (CICC) and graduating from medical school and Euromed Rights), and participated in the specializing in psychiatry. Damascus Spring, when leftists and liberals worked on uniting the opposition and Ideologically, the imprisonment further exposing the lack of reforms under reinforced the democratic tendency of “reformist” Bashar al-Asad. After sensing Nofal’s leftism, perhaps at the expense of the danger of this movement, the regime

16 The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories cracked down on it as well, once again forcing political activity forced to confess under torture at the capital’s Military into secrecy. Intelligence Branch 215.

With the eruption of the so-called Arab Spring, however, Syria After his release in early July, Nofal continued his relief and civil rediscovered outspoken political activism, as reformism and society work, only to be arrested less than two weeks later. He solidarity protests returned to the forefront. was accused of funding terrorism by the Counter-Terrorism Court for having provided relief with his wife in Yarmuk, and Before the start of the revolution in March 2011, Nofal was spent six months in prison. When Nofal was let out in January working on a campaign to improve public transport under the 2015, he was smuggled out of the country and fled to Germany slogan “Public Transport that Respects Citizens”. After the to join his wife, poet and activist Khawla Dunia, who had fled the revolution began, however, he transitioned from reformist calls country earlier. to participating in the revolutionary activism sweeping the country. Nofal was convinced that “all democratic movements Nevertheless, this reunion did not last long. “What I could offer in and individuals must take part in revolutionary activism, Germany was far less than that which I could in Turkey,” regardless of ideology or religion.” explained the doctor. Nofal currently resides in the Turkish southern border town of Gaziantep, where he is a regular guest Nofal worked with the Damascus Neighborhoods Coordinating on programs such as those of Alwan FM, Radio Hara, and Radio Committee to organize a protest in the capital’s Arnus Square on Rozana. He is also part of a team of psychiatrists and social May 2, 2011, demanding democracy, an end to the regime’s workers who work in schools and orphanages, while training violence and sectarianism, and the lifting of the siege on the therapists and supporting similar activities inside Syria. southern city of DarA a. He was arrested at the protest and spent ten days in A Adra prison before being released in an Jalal Nofal is an example of how many Syrian revolutionaries have amnesty. He then returned to work with the committee, though never drawn a line between two inextricably intertwined realms: it was soon dissolved after its founders were arrested. relief work and civil society activism. In their opinion, it is in fact impossible to ignore the political dimension that has led to the After that, he joined the Damascus Doctors Coordinating current suffering. Committee, which was set up to cure patients, especially protesters, who were routinely arrested, abused, and tortured at Omar Abbas was a medical student in Damascus and is now hospitals in the presence of Dr. Nofal and his colleagues. This residing in California. campaign was effectively halted, as were most others, by widespread arrest campaigns. This article was originally published on SyriaUntold, an independent website exploring the storytelling of the Syrian Nofal also worked with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), struggle and the diverse forms of resistance. which in his words was “one of the few organizations where revolutionary humanitarian workers were allowed to operate.” Nofal’s relief work focused on psychological and social support for internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in Damascus and victims and witnesses of conflict and siege throughout Rif Dimashq. “Working in Damascus with IDPs was far more dangerous as we were accused of supporting terrorism, while we had more liberties in Rif Dimashq due to the looser grip of the regime,” clarified Nofal.

The government continued to clamp down on relief efforts, accusing any aid agency of supporting terrorism and arresting and exiling many field workers. In April 2012, Nofal himself was arrested while on SARC duty in Rif Dimashq and subjected to torture while in prison.

Despite all the hardships, Nofal went on to contribute to the foundation of a new political movement, the Syrian Left Coalition, upon his release, though it failed to gain traction.

Towards the second half of 2012, the armed struggle began to take an increasingly prominent role, but Nofal persisted in his peaceful initiatives. In 2013, he was a founding member of the National Call Movement, which had over 200 members in Damascus and “called for the establishment of a democratic civil state that rejects sectarianism, Islamization and ,” as Nofal put it.

The National Call Movement members aimed to revive the peaceful movement and along with the Syrian Revolutionary Youth they installed speakers chanting anti-regime songs across Damascus. By early 2014, the network was exposed and disbanded; its members, including Nofal, were arrested and

The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories 17 18 The Broken Rifle 106: Resisters' Stories